Lighter than Air
by periwinkled
Summary: A prequel to "Night of Nights," this is Heero and Relena's story, beginning immidiately after Endless Waltz. 1xR, implied 2xH.


Disclaimer: I neither own, nor claim to own any part of the Gundam Wing anime and manga. Don't sue me. I need my money for school.  
  
The wind flowed lazily through the colony, feeling to those who stood, gazing at the stars, like a sigh of relief.  
  
"Will he be alright?" The voice, normally filled with warmth, was thinned with worry. It was met with a laugh, tired, but confident.  
  
"Man, this is Heero. Of course he'll be alright. And pissed as all hell to find himself in this place." But even Duo's voice held a strain of worry. He placed his hand on Quatre's shoulder and held it here for a moment before walking back to the warmth of the hospital.  
  
Relena's head lolled from one side to the other in sleep, deep despite the discomfort of the plastic chair. She was half out of the same chair by the time Duo found her. Feeling herself moved slightly, Relena jerked awake, her eyes immediately whipping to Heero's prostate form.  
  
"Still asleep," she sighed.  
  
Duo nodded. "Yeah. He hasn't slept much in the past week, I bet. Then again, who has?"  
  
"Duo. I don't think Heero's ever let himself be tired, much less sleep this deeply."  
  
"True. So how long do you think he'll wait to blow this joint?"  
  
"A little while longer, I hope. He needs this rest."  
  
His eyes traced her face sagely. "Speaking of needing rest." She raised her hand in silent protest.  
  
"Not you, too. Your girl was in her working on me not a half hour ago."  
  
He grinned. "Of course. Hilde absolutely refuses to watch anyone hurt themselves. Not if she can do something about it or, at the very least, get some nagging in."  
  
Relena shook her head, laughing. "Tell you what. I'll get myself a cup of awful coffee. Will that do you?"  
  
Considering, Duo relented. "Alright. Get one for Quatre too, will you? He was outside last I saw him, and looking about ready to drop." Agreeing to this request, the girl turned for the door, straightening her shoulders as she went. She would not show weakness, not until she was positive that Heero was alright. Then, she thought, she might just cry for a year.  
  
Watching her go, Duo smiled to himself. "Hell of a woman, that queen of yours, Heero. I hope you know what you're doing, leaving her." He started to walk out the door, and then paused on the threshold. He didn't so much as glance over his shoulder, but his words were aimed directly at the bed behind him. "And leave you will. I got her out of here for the moment, but she'll be back soon. I'd hurry." That said, he started down the hall, whistling. He figured, while he was here, he'd stop and let Hilde nag him a bit.  
  
Styrofoam cup of coffee in hand, Relena hurried back to Heero's room. Knowing what she was going to find didn't lesson the urgency she felt any. Sure enough, the bed was empty in the room, and a breeze ruffled the sheets from where they'd been thrown. A breeze.her eyes turned to the window, open, and the figure waiting patiently in its frame, his eyes dark, heavy still with sleep. But he was alright. Relena was proud of herself. She didn't cry out, didn't say his name in the wistful way that she longed to, but she did feel her fingers tighten on the flimsy cup. She merely sighed, and nodded at him, before turning to go.  
  
"Relena." The voice, rusty from disuse, was quiet in the room.  
  
She froze, and then replied without giving into her need, growing by the minute, to see those Prussian blue eyes again. If she turned around, she just might beg him to stay, and she desperately did not want to burden him with that. "Go, Heero. I understand. Just-" she paused. "Just get some rest." She refused to quiver, refused to lower her head. The silence stretched as the hall clock ticked audibly.  
  
She was so strong. It always amazed him to see it. He didn't deserve her, no one did, but for some strange reason, she wanted him. Secure with this knowledge, he uttered the closest thing to a promise he'd ever made. "The next time you see me, ask me to stay."  
  
Betraying herself, in shock, in disbelief, she whipped around, nearly spilling the now cold coffee in the process. He was gone. Cry? Had she wanted to cry?? Letting out a sob of breath, she began to laugh, a breathy sound yet full of such joy. When Quatre found her, he could do nothing more than hold her wonderingly as she clung to him, laughing, tears of joy running down her cheeks.  
  
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It was June, and summer had descended upon Brussels, bringing its breathless beauty. Relena stood up from her breakfast, which she'd eaten in her personal suite in the mansion. It was Sunday morning, the only time she allowed herself to spend completely uninterrupted with work. This afternoon she'd see to the newspapers, but now. . .now she would spend gazing on the lovely gardens.  
  
Someday, she thought, *someday*, there will be children to explore these gardens. Thinking of her own restrictive youth, her jaw clenched in determination. *Anytime they want*. She wanted her children full of joy and peace, free to roam the mansion's extensive grounds and get as dirty as they wished. At that, her face relaxed into a smile and she decided that the hours left in her morning would be put to the best use with a ride through the small forest at the back of the grounds. She hadn't seen her mare in the weeks she'd spent on L-2 at a conference and was certain she was itching for some exercise. *Come to think of it, I could use some exercise, too. And fresh air.*  
  
She found the horses anxious and happy to see her. Her mare, Bella, nudged her hand and pranced excitedly. She let out a trilling laugh and the animal's actions. *Imagine*, she mused,*just imagine. Who would have thought I could be this happy?* The knowledge, the sure, without-a-doubt knowledge that Heero was somewhere out there, working his way back to her, had filled the past months with a lightness Relena had never known. She reached for Bella's bridle.  
  
"You always were good with animals."  
  
Her heart stopped, then began its pace at an incredible speed as a smile threatened to split her face in two. She laughed again; amazed that she could make any sound at all. "Good? No one could ride like you." And with that, she turned and found herself starring into the eyes she'd once feared never to see again. "Would you care to join me on my ride? It's beautiful today."  
  
He didn't blink, merely waited. "What are you asking me?"  
  
She wanted to laugh and cry all at once. "Stay. I'm asking you to stay, Heero."  
  
The pause lasted no more that a heartbeat before he nodded, just once. She nodded in return, not knowing what else to do. He saw her confusion, her eyes gave her away. They were dark and damp. *For him*. Knowing it didn't make it any less awesome. Before he could realize or check his actions, he'd swept her up by the waist and swung her around in a circle, then dropped her back to the ground, where she took the opportunity to wrap her arms around his shoulders and cling, laughing breathlessly.  
  
"Stay," she said again, "Oh please, stay!"  
  
He pulled back, only slightly, so that he could look at her as he spoke. "I went back. All over the galaxy, I searched out and saw every battlefield. I tried to find every grave." Her fingers tightened over where they rested near his shoulder blades, but she said nothing. "I'm still a soldier, Relena. Part of me always will be, and maybe this world doesn't need soldiers anymore." She opened her mouth to speak, but her rushed on before she could. "If so, then that's just the world's hard luck. Because I'm still here. And I'm staying." That said, he waited, tensed, for her reaction.  
  
It wasn't long in coming. "Oh, Heero. I don't care if the world needs you or not. I need you. You're my soldier, my hero." She smiled. "My Heero. And I'm keeping you."  
  
"I never thought that I'd want that. That I *could* want that. But I do. Nothing seems more natural than to be with you."  
  
At a loss for words, Relena simply buried her face in his neck and breathed. *Hers. For keeps*. Was there anything more wonderful?  
  
Seeing that she was content to stay where she was, Heero simply leaned against the wall of the stable and waited, smiling to himself. When he felt a nudge from behind him, he laughed. Looking up in disbelief at the sound, she saw where Bella was nuzzling Heero's ear. She laughed, as well. "It seems that Bella wants you to stay too."  
  
He turned eyes lighter than she'd ever seen them on her. "So how about that ride?"  
  
She thought nothing had ever sounded more glorious. "I'd love to."  
  
It seemed that she wouldn't get any of that work done this afternoon, after all. 


End file.
